A couple of weeks ago I climbed Mt. Fuji and at higher altitude, up to about 3000m this was the main plant growing. ID apps have had trouble identifying it. Does anyone know?
I have never been there but the plant reminded me of the notorious invasive Japanese knotweed ( flowers and leaves) , I googled it and I actually got the answer that it might be Reynoutria japonica ( Japanese knotweed).
The reason it looks a bit different there might be the harsh conditions that limit growth, usually it growth much bigger in moist and nitrogen rich soils , seeing it like this in the volcanic rubble above 3000m, I can imagine why this plant is so hard to get rid. off( especially the rhizomes).
Abstract:
Reynoutria japonica (Polygonaceae) is a pioneer clonal herb colonising the volcanic desert on Mt. Fuji (height 3776 m), central Japan; establishment of secondary successional species occurs only in the central die-back parts of the clonal stands of R. japonica.…
HudsonAtHeart
Well of course there would be Japanese knotweed at the top of mount Fuji, I hate how much that makes sense 💀
Cool trek btw, that is a bucket list item for many!!
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I have never been there but the plant reminded me of the notorious invasive Japanese knotweed ( flowers and leaves) , I googled it and I actually got the answer that it might be Reynoutria japonica ( Japanese knotweed).
The reason it looks a bit different there might be the harsh conditions that limit growth, usually it growth much bigger in moist and nitrogen rich soils , seeing it like this in the volcanic rubble above 3000m, I can imagine why this plant is so hard to get rid. off( especially the rhizomes).
Found this article from The Annals of Botany:
https://academic.oup.com/aob/article-abstract/78/2/169/2587466?redirectedFrom=fulltext
Abstract:
Reynoutria japonica (Polygonaceae) is a pioneer clonal herb colonising the volcanic desert on Mt. Fuji (height 3776 m), central Japan; establishment of secondary successional species occurs only in the central die-back parts of the clonal stands of R. japonica.…
Well of course there would be Japanese knotweed at the top of mount Fuji, I hate how much that makes sense 💀
Cool trek btw, that is a bucket list item for many!!